Headset advice - 1 1/8 straight

larkim

New forks arriving later this week so that I can get rid of the clunky Suntour XCM forks on my Decathlon Rockrider 29er. I'm sure the Recon Gold TK 100mm will be a huge improvement at a reasonable cost.]

Anyway, I started to prep the bike this week by removing the old fork and whilst the headset didn't appear to have been giving me any problems, the upper race appears a little pitted in one area so I am minded to sort that out at the same time.

And so I enter the confusing world of headsets and standards.

So what I know - the existing headset is a bog standard one with ball bearings in a retainer ring and external race cups. Steerer is a standard 1 1/8, but I've not measured the diameter of the tube on the frame.

I'm assuming therefore I need a fairy bog standard headset to replace it. Would prefer sealed bearings I suppose, but I don't imagine it's the be all and end all.

My questions would be:-
- any recommendations of a decent value headset which might fit the bill?
- do I need to buy a new crown race, or does that come with the headset?
- without the right tools, I'm planning on sending this down to the LBS to get sorted. As I don't want to invest in a headset press and I don't have a garage full of bits to make one up with, I'm expecting this will be a sensible approach
- any other areas which might trip me up in terms of buying or installing the new headset?

cooldad

If you can find an Orbit XLII on Ebay around £20 you won't get better, assuming it's a 1 and 1/8th straight steerer and headtube. The new ones look like a tapered headtube with a straight steerer.
Crown race is part of the headset.

The Rookie

Last time I looked at those they had a semi integrated headtube, so the OP needs to determine if its external cup or semi integrated.

larkim

When you say "those", do you mean the bike itself or the headset?

Here's a potentially unhelpful photo of the upper cup. If I had a more helpful one I'd post it, but I don't at the moment!

https://goo.gl/photos/DDg6iVswXYGYSoMc6

The bike is a Decathlon Big RR 5.3 - link no longer available to spec sadly.

The Rookie

Those being the bike.

I can't see the photo through the company firewall unfortunately.

Check out http://problemsolversbike.com/files/tech/s.h.i.s.pdf

larkim

I'm fairly confident it isn't a semi integrated setup as it is a fairly low tech bike and the cups including the ball cage sit proud of the top of the head tube. I'd be surprised, now, that it is anything other than a standard EC34 conventional headset. But I'll try to post a better pic. I can't measure internal diameter as I've not pressed out the existing cups (I'm starting to think that as I didn't notice any issues with the headset, I can probably live with putting back in the same kit when the new fork arrives anyway).

swod1

Are there cups pressed into the frame that the bearings sit in, if yes then that is a semi integrated headset.

if you are going to take to a bike shop then they will sort out the right size otherwise you'll need to measure the internal diameter of the head tube by knocking out one of the existing cups.

Not too hard to fit yourself if you feel competent, I made a homemade press using some threaded bar and plastic disc washers.

The Rookie

swod1 wrote:

Are there cups pressed into the frame that the bearings sit in, if yes then that is a semi integrated headset.

That description suites both semi integrated and conventional external, not a help really!

larkim

Here's a better photo. Bearing cup is proud of the frame head tube so surely this is a standard external cup headset, nothing fancy.

https://goo.gl/photos/tXK6biofzJwwq2eD6